10 Movies That Smashed The Box Office With A Totally Unknown Cast
9. Alien
Its obvious why Ridley Scott was so set on the cast of Alien being plucked from relative obscurity. This wasnt a film about the glamour of space exploration: it focused instead on the gritty functionality of future space travel, and the dread of what we might find if we looked long enough. A film of this nature with a bunch of well-paid stars just wouldnt have captured the horror that was required, and the audience wouldnt have been immersed in the way they were. The most experienced actor involved was Ian Holm, playing the android Ash, while the rest of the cast either still resided in obscurity or were just starting out. Sigourney Weavers principle experience came from Broadway, while John Hurt was only really known for his work on television in England with The Naked Civil Servant and I, Claudius. The lack of star appeal didnt hold the film back however, with the movie becoming a big hit at the box office and earning a number of sequels, including the similarly acclaimed, and imaginatively titled Aliens. Spin-offs and merchandise are still being churned out to this day. Its fair to say Alien is an exemplary case of an unknown cast working in a films favour, rather than holding back its appeal.
